Abbie Chatfield Faces Backlash for Teacher TikTok Rant

Teachers have hit back after branded many of them as 'weird' and 'inappropriate' for posting on social media, warning their behaviour could put children at risk. 

The podcaster made the remarks in response to accusations against US teacher Haley Beck, who allegedly engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a student at a high school in .

Beck, the sister of star Noah Beck, is accused of grooming the student, sending thousands of messages, giving him money and engaging in a sexual relationship.

'It's just weird to give kids access to you,' Chatfield, whose mother was a teacher for more than four decades, said in a second video after she deleted her first rant on the topic.

'Teachers shouldn't be on your For You page, particularly in your classroom'

'And personally, I find it really f***ing weird. I find it odd to also want to be a TikTok famous teacher. That would worry me as a parent. Why are you trying to do that?'

Chatfield went on to recommend if teachers insist on using the app they should use an alias and avoid posting about their jobs or location.

'What's this big desire for this? People are saying sharing tips and tricks, cool, you can do that faceless,' she said. 

She then explained she thought it was 'gross,' to use their experience with children for clout.   

'Even though you think it's cute, it's private information. And those kids are going to grow up and be smart.

'They're going to have access to smartphones and see you on their page. I actually am shocked that Australian teachers are doing this.

'I've now seen it because they've all come into my comments defending themselves.'

She also said that she once reached out to a former teacher to thank him and was told to email the school, who would pass on the correspondence.

'That's the level of access I have as a 30-year-old woman to a teacher who doesn't even work at the school anymore. None. Because that's how it should be.'

Since her comments, the phrase 'Abbie Chatfield teacher' began trending on TikTok as dozens of educators posted videos defending themselves.

One teacher, who goes by the TikTok name @morningcuppa and regularly shares content about his vocation, including dancing in his classroom, publicly expressed his frustration with the media personality.

He said just because someone had allegedly done something 'disgusting' it 'doesn't mean we all need to be put in the same box as them'.

'I don't think you need to speak on behalf of us and I'm sure if there is something that is not quite right the education department will pull them up on it.'

In another post, the teacher explained that as well as social media he had tattoos, goes to the beach in budgie smugglers, has a 'filthy mullet,' that the kids love.

'Does any of that make me a bad teacher? An unsafe teacher? An unkind and uncaring teacher?' he asked.

'Absolutely not, I just love living my life along with enjoying a job that brings me so much joy and fulfilment.'

Another teacher, Mr Hobson, who posts content to help students get through their HSC, said he agrees no one should be making content at their desk but believes banning social media 'demonises teachers as robots.'

'At the end of the day we are people and we have opinions and thoughts and we want to be creative,' he said.

'It's not about getting a following, it's about doing it for the love of the game, I do it as a hobby, I'm not doing it to get clout I'm doing it to help people get better.

'I have had tons of students say that my videos have helped them during their HSC exams and thank me for it.

'It's also illegal for students under 16 to have social media so if they view our stuff on TikTok that's actually not our fault as they shouldn't be on it.'

Gold Coast teacher Jemma Moncrieff also slammed Chatfield's views.

'We are teachers, not robots. We clock off, we have lives, personalities, opinions. Wild I know,' she said.

'Also let's be real, if the profession paid what it should, maybe we wouldn't need a side hustle in the first place.'

Teachers also began calling the media personality out over 'double standards,' noting her mother, Laura Neal, is a former teacher who appeared on The Golden Bachelor and is active on social media.

This in turn prompted Chatfield's third video lecture on the issue.

Despite previously claiming no one should have any access to teachers, she said her views did not apply to her mother because she's retired and does not use her real name online. Class dismissed.